The UK’s version of Selling Sunset has landed on Netflix, but unlike the LA-based series, it’s left viewers less than impressed.
Buying London promised viewers an insight into the capital’s cutthroat luxury property market via tycoon agent Daniel Daggers and his team of minions at DDRE Global.
His employees, including former Sky Sports presenter Olivia Wayne, could easily be mistaken for the Made in Chelsea crew, becoming embroiled in pretty dramas – all while competing for big-money property deals.
But unlike the reality shows mentioned above, Buying London has left critics and viewers disappointed at best and furious at worst.
Rebecca Nicholson at the Guardian made a statement by ranking the show zero stars and hailed it as ‘probably the most hateable TV show ever made.’
Buying London only landed on Netflix today and it’s already been dubbed ‘the most hateable TV show ever made’ (pictured: estate agents on the show)
She wrote: ‘I usually love to gawp at rich people and their wallpaper, but this British version of the real-estate reality show Selling Sunset is tired, tone-deaf, and shamefully crass. Watching it will work you up into a total rage.’
The critic added that during a cost-of-living crisis, the lavish shows of wealth where houses can sell for £500million are hardly appropriate.
Her fury was in good company. Anita Singh at The Telegraph complained: ‘It is a copy of the wildly popular, LA-based, but it owes as much to The Only Way is Essex – superficially fun, but ultimately soulless and artificial.’
Elsewhere, Carol Midgley at The Times said: ‘The property reality series, the pouty love child of Selling Sunset and The Apprentice, shows that people can be obscenely rich and still have bad taste.’
Property mogul Daniel Daggers and his agents set out to dominate the real estate market – with jaw-dropping prices, from the streets of Mayfair to the Beckham’s territory of Holland Park.
Daniel is the head of DDRE and once described himself as ‘the best agent that has ever lived’.
The cast are hired by Daniel Daggers, the head of DDRE, who once described himself as ‘the best agent that has ever lived
Properties only make up one half of the show – the other is filled with romance, drama and gossip
The show explores homes in upmarket London, from the streets of Mayfair to the luxury Holland Park
The Guardian critic claimed that the show of wealth is inappropriate because the British population is grapping with a cost of living crisis
The 44-year-old property mogul amusingly refers to himself as ‘Mr Super Prime’ while at work and like a successful David Brent claims he wants to ‘revolutionise the real estate industry’.
In 2019, he managed to sell one of London’s most expensive properties – 3 Carlton Gardens -to American billionaire Ken Griffin for £95million – although it had been on for £125million two years before.
The agents name drops celebrities – for instance selling a house that allegedly belonged to Salma Hayek – but none appear.
Instead, viewers are left with money hungry-estate agents – the cast also features former Sky Sports presenter Olivia Wayne and Alex Bourne, the ex-husband of S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens who appears as a rival agent.
But the property buying is only one side of the show, the other being a Love Island style drama filled with husband stealing and backhanded comments.
The Guardian made a bold statement claimed that the show was ‘probably the most hateable TV show ever made’
Elsewhere, a critic at the Telegraph said that Buying London was ‘artificial’ and ‘vulgar’
Viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the show, and many were let down
Since the show’s release, fans have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the show, and many are unimpressed.
One said: ‘I switched buying London off at the photoshoot in the first episode, insufferable is not a big enough word for these clowns #BuyingLondon.’
Another added: ‘Wow #BuyingLondon is worse than I expected. It is so obviously scripted and boring; one episode is more than enough.
A third questioned: ‘Buying London is actually embarrassing, is this what London has to offer?’
‘Utterly repugnant, if Netflix can’t think of anything better to commission, it’s time to cancel my subscription,’ another said.
A fifth wrote: ‘Take the money you earn from this show and give it to foodbanks and homelessness charities. And then take it off air.’